The Shallow Girl’s Guide To Glowing Up By Thanksgiving

A couple years ago, I gave you the shallow girl’s checklist for looking hot when you head home for Thanksgiving, and if our DMs are any indication, a lot of you ran into that toxic ex at the Kroger and lived to tell the tale. You’re welcome. But let’s be real, that list was damage control. Whitening strips, a Magic Eraser, and a rented Anthropologie dress can work wonders in a week, but there is no whitening strip on earth that can grow your hair two inches or undo a summer of tequila sodas on the lake. So this year, we’re starting early. Like, October 1st early. That gives you eight full weeks before you’re elbowing your cousin for the last crescent roll, which is exactly enough time to pull off a glow up from the inside out. The kind where your old lab partner spots you in the drive-through line and immediately texts the group chat, “Did you see her? She looks amazing. Is she doing something?” Yes, sweetie. She’s doing a lot of things. And no, I’m not talking about becoming a whole new person. You’re already cute. I’m talking about being the version of yourself that makes your snarky second cousin bite her tongue and your mom’s friends ask what skincare you’re using while you’re just trying to grab a deviled egg in peace. Here’s how we’re getting there. This article may contain affiliate links or paid partnerships. We may earn a commission or compensation at no extra cost to you. All products are chosen independently by our editorial team and reflect our genuine recommendations. Hair Start Your Hair Growth Oil Tonight Okay, we’re starting with the one that takes the longest, so no dilly-dallying. Hair grows about half an inch a month, which means if you start tonight, you’re looking at close to an inch of fresh, healthy growth by the time the turkey comes out of the oven. And here’s a fun fact nobody warned me about: early fall is peak shedding season, so your scalp needs the backup now more than ever. I massage a few drops of this Hair Growth Oil into my scalp every night before bed while my husband pretends not to notice I smell like a rosemary bush. Small price to pay. Shop: Bur Bur Growing Season Hair Oil, $56 Give Your Heat Tools a Break The fastest way to undo everything the growth oil is doing is to blast your hair with a 400-degree wand every morning. For October, let it air dry and learn a heatless wave: twist damp hair around a bathrobe belt or a silk scarf before bed, sleep on it, and wake up with waves that look like a blowout you didn't pay for. Save the hot tools for the week you travel, when they'll count. Add a Derma Roller to Your Scalp Routine I know, I know. Microneedling your own scalp sounds like something out of a medieval torture manual. But rolling once or twice a week helps that growth oil sink in exactly where it needs to go, and it takes about five minutes. Keep the pressure light, wipe it down after every use, and skip any spot that’s irritated. This is the one I use , and it’s under $50. If your man is constantly complaining about going bald, this doubles as a gift for him. Shop: Bur Bur Growing Season Derma Roller, $48 Book a Weekly Date With a Deep Repair Mask How are the locks looking? Even if they seem fine to the naked eye, you’ve got holiday party blowouts and a curling iron in your very near future, and your ends are going to need the extra love. Sunday nights between now and Thanksgiving belong to a Gilmore Girls rewatch and this Deep Repair Mask . I will be defending that schedule to anyone who asks, including my children. Shop: Bur Bur Growing Season Hair Mask, $46 Alternate in a Bond-Repair Treatment A moisturizing mask makes your hair feel soft. A bond builder makes it stop snapping off in your brush, which, if you spent the summer between the pool and the beach, is a very real concern. Every other week, swap your mask for a bond-repair treatment like the one from Divi and let it do its thing while you fold laundry. Your split ends will not survive October. Shop: Divi Whipped Repair Treatment Mask, $34 Book Every Single Appointment Now Every hairstylist in America has been booked for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving since roughly August, and the same goes for your brow girl and your nail tech. Get your trim and color on the calendar for the week before you travel, and grab your brow and nail slots while you’re at it. Nothing says “yikes” like calling around town on Monday begging for a cancellation. Skincare Try Sober October Nothing dulls your skin faster than a nightly glass of wine, and I say that as someone who loves a nightly glass of wine. Alcohol dehydrates you from the inside, puffs up your face, and wrecks the deep sleep your skin needs to repair itself. Cut it out for October, or at least push it to weekends only, and by week three you'll notice your undereyes and your jawline before anyone else does. Consider it a warm-up for the amount of pinot you're going to drink at Thanksgiving dinner. Put Pure C Serum On Every Morning Summer left you with a souvenir or two (looking at you, sunspots from that lake weekend), and a vitamin C serum every morning is the easiest way to brighten things back up. The catch is that it only works if you use it daily for the full eight weeks and not just when you happen to remember. My pick is the Pure C Serum from Rodan + Fields. Shop: Rodan + Fields Pure C Serum, $72 Bring Retinol Back at Night If you shelved your retinol for the summer (smart), October is the month to bring her back. Start slow, like two nights a week with a pea-sized amount on dry skin, then build up as your skin stops complaining. Eight weeks is just enough time to see smoother texture and faded sun damage before you're in every family photo. If your skin can't tolerate retinol (or you're pregnant or nursing, in which case it's a hard no), my workaround is the Total RF Serum from Rodan + Fields. It goes after the same stuff, fine lines, texture, dullness, without the flaky adjustment period, and it plays nicely with the Pure C in the morning. Shop: Rodan + Fields Total RF Serum, $128 Swap Your Summer Moisturizer for Something Richer That featherweight gel moisturizer that carried you through August is about to leave you high and dry, literally. Between the crisp air outside and your parents cranking the heat inside, your skin needs a mid-weight cream that can keep up. Same goes for your cleanser, so trade the foaming one for something creamy that doesn’t leave you tight and squeaky. I made this swap last October and my makeup has never sat better. Shop: Cosmette Skincare Timeless Hydration - Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Moisturizer, $42 Rehab Your Nails Be honest, when was the last time your nails saw daylight without gel on them? Mine were peeling and brittle by Labor Day, so I gave them a two-week break and started brushing on a strengthener a few times a week. Your nails will be back to baseline and ready for that pre-Thanksgiving manicure by the time your appointment rolls around. Shop: Manucurist S.O.S. Nail Strengthener, $15 Add a Body Oil After Every Shower Your face gets all the attention, but your legs are about to be sandwiched between tights and boots for the next five months, and “scaly” is not a texture we’re going for. A rich body oil on damp skin after every shower takes 30 seconds and makes you feel like you just walked out of a spa instead of your childhood bathroom with questionable water pressure. Shop: Cyklar Vanilla Verve Vitamin C Body Oil, $38 Makeup Find Your Signature Fall Scent Your summer perfume was lovely, but it’s time to retire the coconut, girlie. Fall calls for something warm with a little vanilla in it, the kind of scent that makes someone lean in at the dessert table and ask what you’re wearing. Bonus points if the answer is something they’ve never heard of. This is my current obsession. Shop: TOCCA Solid Perfume Laila, $50 Start a Lash and Brow Serum Now Brows are still the frame of your face (I said it last time and I’ll say it again), and lashes are the curtains. A lash and brow serum takes about six to eight weeks to show real results, which is, conveniently, exactly how long you have. Swipe it on every night after skincare and you’ll be skipping the falsies at Thanksgiving dinner. Shop: Rodan and Fields R + F Lash Boost, $124 Wash Your Makeup Brushes Be honest, when did you last do this? If you had to think about it, the answer is too long ago. Your brushes and sponges are full of old foundation, oil, and bacteria, and you're pressing all of it into your freshly glowing skin every morning. A little baby shampoo, warm water, and 10 minutes on a Sunday is all it takes, and your blush will suddenly blend like it did the day you bought it. Switch to a Skin-First Makeup Bag Once your skin starts glowing (and it will), the last thing you’ll want to do is spackle over it. The full-coverage foundation era is officially over, and I say good riddance. I’ve traded mine for a skin tint and started tapping cream blush on with my fingers in the car like the multitasking queen I am. Finish with a brown lip liner and a clear gloss for that “I just woke up like this” look you did not, in fact, wake up with. Shop: ILIA Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, $48 Learn the Blurred Berry Lip The sharp, overlined lip is taking a nap this season. Fall’s lip is a soft satin berry pressed into the center of your mouth with your finger and blurred out at the edges, like you just kissed someone and didn’t bother to fix it. It’s the most flattering thing you can do in 10 seconds, and it photographs like a dream next to a turkey. This is the shade I’m wearing on repeat. Shop: Iconic London Melting Touch Lip Balm, $26 Smudge Your Liner Same energy for your eyes. Trade the precise cat eye for a soft black or brown pencil smudged right along the lash line with a brush or, let’s be honest, your pinky. It reads sultry and effortless instead of “tried very hard in the guest bathroom,” which is exactly the vibe we want when we bump into someone in the wine aisle. Shop: Iconic London Smokey Eye Duo Kajal Eyeliner, $29 Health Get Your Steps In You don't need a Pilates membership to move your body every day, you need a pair of sneakers and a podcast. A brisk 30-minute walk gets your blood moving, deflates your face, burns off the stress you've been carrying in your shoulders, and gives you that fresh-air glow that no bronzer can replicate. Bonus: it's the perfect excuse to test-drive the "casual errand" outfits you'll be wearing around your hometown. Trade Your Latte for a Beauty Matcha Last time I sent you out for a toasted pecan oat milk latte, and I still love her dearly. But for the next eight weeks, she's a weekend treat, and my weekday order is a Beauty Matcha Latte I make at home in about two minutes. It's ceremonial-grade matcha, so you're getting a slow, steady release of caffeine plus L-theanine, which keeps you calm and focused instead of jittery and refreshing your inbox every four seconds. Then there's up to 12 grams of collagen per serving, which is the whole reason it's called a beauty matcha. Collagen is what keeps your skin plump and your hair and nails strong, and we start losing it in our mid-20s, so drinking it back in every morning is the easiest win on this list. On top of that, it's got turmeric and ginger to calm inflammation (hello, less puffy face), a blend of beauty mushrooms for hair, skin, and nails, and maca and goji for a little extra pep. It tastes creamy and slightly spicy, and it's sweetened with monk fruit and a touch of maple, so there's no 2 p.m. crash and no $8 charge on my card. It also looks very cute in a ceramic mug on your Instagram story. Shop: Kroma Beauty Matcha Latte, $50 Add Super Core Colostrum to Your Morning My three boys bring home every germ within a 10-mile radius, and flu season does not care about your glow up. Nothing ruins a hometown entrance like showing up with a red nose and a cough drop in your cheek. I stir a scoop of Super Core Colostrum into a glass of cool water every morning (not the hot matcha, since heat knocks down the potency), and I can tell when I've skipped a few days. Colostrum is the "first milk" that gives newborns their immune system, and Kroma's version is the first one that's dairy-free, made to be human-identical, and about 15 times more absorbable than the cow-derived stuff everyone was bloating on last year. It's packed with lactoferrin to repair your gut lining, immunoglobulins to fight off whatever your nephew coughs on you, and prebiotics that feed the good bacteria. So why is a gut supplement on a glow up list? Because your gut runs the show. When it's calm and sealed up, you're less bloated, less inflamed, and your skin stops throwing tantrums, which is the whole "glowing from the inside out" thing in a nutshell. Most people feel the digestion and energy difference within a couple of weeks, and the reviews are full of women bragging about nails they have to trim twice as often. If you're pregnant or nursing, run this one by your OB first. Shop: Kroma Super Core, $120 Get Serious About Protein If you're living off iced coffee and your kids' leftover Goldfish (guilty), your hair and nails are going to be the first to tattle on you. Here's the not-so-fun fact: your hair is made of keratin, your skin is held up by collagen, and your body builds both out of the amino acids in protein. Skimp on it and you'll notice thinner ponytails, peeling nails, and skin that just looks tired, no matter how much Pure C you slather on. Getting enough protein also keeps you full, which means fewer 3 p.m. pantry raids, and it's what turns all those Pilates classes in your cute new set into actual muscle tone by Thanksgiving. A scoop of protein in a smoothie or stirred into your morning oats is the lowest-effort fix there is. Shop: Ballerina Farm Farmer Protein Powder, $70 Fix Your Sleep Before the Holidays Wreck It Nothing you put on your face will out-perform eight hours of sleep, and no amount of undereye patches can fully fake it. For the next eight weeks, wake up at the same time every day (yes, Saturdays), get outside in the sunlight before you touch your phone, and drop the thermostat to 65 at night. It sounds boring because it is, and it also happens to be the cheapest step on this list. Buy the Workout Set That Makes You Feel Hot A matching set won’t do the Pilates for you, sadly. But I’ll admit I’ve gone to a 6 a.m. class purely because I wanted to wear a new one, and a buttery, sculpting set in the perfect fall shade has a way of getting you out the door. Think of it as a $90 accountability partner. For pilates: White Fox Turbo Foldover Capri Black, $70 For tennis: Featherie (RED) x The Erin Half-Zip Sleeveless, $110 For a hot girl walk: WISKII Colorblock One-Piece Long Sleeve Top, $98 Make Vitamin Gummies Part of Your Routine I hate to even mention this, but obviously we're not talking Flintstones vitamins here. LEMME has earned a permanent spot in my supplement drawer, and the two I reach for from October through New Year's are Burn and GLP-1 Daily . Burn is built around a clinically studied Gynostemma extract and green tea that work through AMPK, which is basically the switch in your cells that tells them to stop storing fat and start using it for energy, plus B vitamins that help turn all that Thanksgiving stuffing into actual fuel instead of a nap. GLP-1 Daily is the one your friend group has been asking about. It's formulated with a patented lemon extract shown to support your body's own GLP-1 levels, a saffron extract studied for taking the edge off hunger and snacking, and a red orange extract linked to less belly fat when you pair it with diet and exercise. Quick PSA that these are supplements and not a prescription, so think "support" and not "shortcut." And the studies behind them run 8 to 12 weeks, which is conveniently exactly how long you have. LEMME Burn Gummies, $28 Do Red Light Therapy a Few Nights a Week Is there anything more satisfying than multitasking your way to better skin? I pop my red light mask on while I answer emails or scroll Pinterest, and 10 minutes later I look like I spent the weekend at a spa in Sedona. The science is legit, too. Red light works below the surface to nudge your skin into making more collagen, which is the stuff that keeps it plump and bouncy and that we all start losing in our late 20s (rude). It also calms redness and inflammation, speeds up healing on stubborn breakouts, and gives you that even, lit-from-within tone that no highlighter can fake. Consistency is the whole game here, since one session does nothing and 20 sessions do a lot. I aim for three or four a week and set a phone reminder, because otherwise it collects dust in my nightstand. Shop: Omnilux Contour Face, $395 (Use code " ANNAHARTMAN " for 10% off) Sweat It Out in a Sauna Getting in a good sweat sesh always leaves me glowy and in a noticeably better mood, and there's real science behind that post-sauna face. The heat gets your blood pumping to the surface of your skin, which is where that flushed, lit-from-within look comes from, and a deep sweat helps clear out whatever's been sitting in your pores since summer. It also relaxes your muscles, takes the edge off stress, and helps you sleep like a baby, which is its own kind of beauty treatment. Whether you have a gym membership with a sauna or an at-home version (bonus points if it also has red light, like the one below), aim for a few sessions a week from now until turkey day. Just remember to toss a hydration packet into your Stanley (or whatever cup we're loyal to this month) before you climb in. Shop: JNH Lifestyles Arki™ Solo High-Heat 170°F 1-Person Full-Body 360° Medical-Grade Red Light Therapy Infrared Sauna, $11,499 Wind Down With Adaptogens The holidays are coming, and so is the cortisol. Once the boys are down, I crack open a TRIP, sink into the couch, and unclench my jaw for the first time all day. Each can has 120 milligrams of magnesium plus a little cocktail of adaptogens like ashwagandha, lion's mane, lemon balm, and chamomile, which are the botanicals your crunchy friend has been telling you about for years. The short version is that adaptogens help your body handle stress instead of letting it run the show, and that matters for a glow up because stress shows up on your face whether you like it or not. Think breakouts, dullness, the puffy morning-after look with no wine involved, and a jaw so tight you could crack walnuts with it. Swap your second glass of pinot for one of these a few nights a week and you'll sleep better, wake up less puffy, and feel a lot more zen when your aunt asks why you're still single. As far as I'm concerned, this counts as skincare. Shop: TRIP Variety Pack, $72 Fashion Edit Your Closet Before You Pack You can't build a hometown wardrobe on top of a closet full of things you haven't worn since 2022. Set aside one Sunday afternoon in October, pull everything out, and be ruthless. If it's pilling, stretched, stained, or makes you feel "fine," it goes in the donate pile. What's left is what you'll pack, and when the good stuff isn't buried under the sad stuff, you'll wear it. You'll also realize you don't need to buy nearly as much as you thought, which is the shallow girl's version of financial responsibility. Upgrade Your Fall Bag When was the last time you really looked at your everyday bag? If it’s fraying at the handles or still has sand in the bottom from July, I say this with love: it’s time. Go for a structured, grown-up shape in brown, which goes with every single thing you’re about to pack. If you want to be ahead of the curve, croc-effect is the texture every fashion editor is carrying this fall, and it makes a $150 bag look like $1,500. Shop: Anthropologie Maeve Embossed Croc Tote Bag, $128 Clean Your Shoes Same rule as last time. If your white sneakers are anything but white or your loafers still show proof of the iced matcha you spilled in June, grab a Magic Eraser and get to work. It costs nothing, takes 10 minutes, and it's the first thing people notice when you walk into a room, whether they realize it or not. Invest in One Great Jacket I wear the same fall jacket basically every day of the trip, so this is where I spend the real money. Mine goes over leggings for coffee runs and over a slip skirt for dinner out. It has also gone over my pajamas for a toilet paper run no one else volunteered for, and the cashier was none the wiser. A suede funnel jacket is my vote this year. Shop: Anthropologie Maeve Imara Faux Suede Funnel Neck Jacket, $168 Buy the Knee-high Boots If you’re only buying one pair of shoes this season, make it knee-high boots in chocolate brown. They go with a dress at dinner, straight-leg jeans at the grocery store, and tights and a skirt at church on Sunday, and they instantly make you look like you have your life together even if you’re still living out of a suitcase in your childhood bedroom. Shop: Naturalizer Nona Knee High Boot, $155 Get Tights With Personality This is the cheapest fashion upgrade on the list, and it might be my favorite. Polka dot, plaid, a pop of color, whatever feels like you. A fun pair of tights under a simple dress and kitten heels is the difference between “nice outfit” and “wait, where did you get those?” Stock up on two or three pairs before the good ones sell out. Shop: Anthropologie Commando Check Plaid Sheer Tights, $48 Replace Your Undergarments We both know which ones I'm talking about. They were crisp and bright in May, and now they're a little dingy, a little stretched, and pilling from one too many trips through the wash. Even if the only person who sees them is you, what's underneath your outfit sets the tone for how you carry yourself in it. There's a reason you stand up straighter in a matching set. So toss the sad ones, buy a fresh multipack of your favorite everyday style, and invest in one gorgeous lace bra that keeps its shape through a full day of hugging relatives you haven't seen since 2019. Consider it the foundation of the whole glow up, literally. Shop: Stripe & Stare Brazilian Brief Four Pack, $80 Shop: Stripe & Stare Triangle Lace Bra, $55 Get a Gorgeous Pajama Set Remember matching your undereye patches to your silky pajamas last time? We’re raising the stakes. A set in a fall floral or a buttery satin makes you feel like the heroine of a Nancy Meyers movie at 7 a.m. with coffee in hand. Shop: Piyama Sophie Sleep Set Pants Cotton Modal Romantic Floral Toffee, $119 Shop: Printfresh Eco Satin Stevie Set in Bagheera, $228 Glow Up Your Dog, Too I will not be taking questions on this one. If you’re walking laps around your parents’ neighborhood, your dog needs a matching leash and collar set with a chic poop bag holder clipped on, because a crumpled Walmart bag stuffed in your pocket is not the vibe. Add a cozy fall sweater or a little raincoat, because obviously your dog needs one, and prepare to be stopped by every neighbor on the block. My favorites are this walk set , this sweater , and this jacket . Shop: The Foggy Dog Pumpkin Spice Plaid Flannel Harness Walk Set, $125 Shop: The Foggy Dog Blockprint Floral Reversible Dog Jacket, $65 Prep Your Catch-Up Answer You've done the hair, the skin, the boots. Now do the one thing everyone forgets. At some point between the gas station and the church parking lot, someone is going to ask, "So what have you been up to?" and you do not want to panic-ramble about your commute. Come up with two sentences that sound good and land with a smile. Practice them in the car. A glow up is 90% how you look and 10% how you answer that question without saying "oh, you know, same old." And that's a wrap! Start on October 1st, and by the time you're home for Thanksgiving, you'll be inventing reasons to leave the house. Whether you see 10 old classmates or no one at all, you’ll know you showed up as the hottest version of yourself, and that’s something worth being grateful for.